Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka delivered one of the most memorable individual performances in World Cup history on Saturday, scoring three goals as England thrashed France 6-4 in the third-place playoff in Miami.
It was a night that capped an extraordinary 2025-26 season for the 24-year-old. First, a Premier League title with Arsenal — the club’s first in 22 years. Now, a World Cup hat trick and a bronze medal with England.
Not bad for a kid from Hale End, right?
Arsenal’s Fingerprints All Over England’s Win
Saka wasn’t the only Gunner to shine under the Miami lights. Arsenal teammate Declan Rice opened the scoring inside three minutes with a long-range strike, setting the tone for what became the highest-scoring World Cup match since Hungary beat El Salvador 10-1 back in 1982.
Ezri Konsa headed home to make it 2-0 before Saka took centre stage. His first came in the 37th minute after a swift counter-attack. His second arrived in first-half stoppage time. England went into the break 4-0 up, and France coach Didier Deschamps didn’t mince words, calling his side’s opening 45 minutes “catastrophic.”
The second half was chaos. Kylian Mbappé scored twice to become the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 22 career goals, surpassing Lionel Messi. Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé also found the net as France clawed it back to 5-4.
Then Saka stepped up from the penalty spot in the 87th minute. Cool. Calm. Hat trick complete.
Jude Bellingham added a 10th goal deep in stoppage time — his seventh of the tournament, a record for an England player at a single World Cup.
What This Means for Arsenal
For Arsenal fans, this is more evidence that Saka belongs in the very top bracket of world football. He now has 82 goals and around 62 assists in 316 Arsenal appearances. He became the second-youngest player to reach 50 goals and 50 assists in Premier League history this season, behind only Wayne Rooney.
The trajectory is remarkable. Consider where he was just a few years ago:
- Euro 2020 final: missed the decisive penalty against Italy
- Euro 2024: scored in the shootout win over Switzerland, a redemption moment
- World Cup 2026: multiple goals and assists throughout the tournament, capped by a hat trick in the bronze final
His quote to FIFA ahead of the tournament feels prophetic now. “We know there’s an expectation, but what’s important is we have expectations of ourselves. Once you have that, there’s not really much else that can put that much pressure on you.”
That mindset mirrors what he’s brought to Arsenal under Mikel Arteta. The same composure. The same big-game mentality.
And let’s not forget Rice. The midfielder’s goal was a reminder of why Arsenal paid a record fee to bring him from West Ham. After winning the title, he told teammates on the pitch at the Etihad during a crucial late-season moment: “It’s not done.” That relentless drive followed him all the way to Miami.
A Season to Remember
By finishing third, England secured their best World Cup result since winning the tournament in 1966. It doesn’t erase the pain of their semifinal collapse against Argentina — they blew a 1-0 lead only for the defending champions to score twice late — but it’s a meaningful consolation under Thomas Tuchel, who’s expected to stay in charge through Euro 2028.
For Saka personally, the numbers tell the story. His World Cup record now reads multiple goals and assists in just a handful of appearances. His per-minute output at major tournaments is among the best of any English player in modern history.
After lifting the Premier League trophy in May, Saka posed with it on the Emirates pitch and said something that stuck. “It’s done. No more jokes, man. It’s our time.”
With a league title and a World Cup bronze medal in the same year, it’s hard to argue. This really is Saka’s time. And Arsenal are reaping the rewards of the boy who joined their academy at seven and now carries them on the biggest stages in the world.
